OH DEER
STARS Hollow held a plethora of eclectic shops that catered to every whim and need for its kooky inhabitants, and second to the bookstore (not to mention the video store and Luke's) Rory's favorite was the stationary store. And the Gilmore girl in question had never been happier to drag her mother and sister inside much to Lorelai's chagrin "Shopping for school supplies... party."
Rory smiled in amusement "Nobody demanded that you come."
"Yeah, they did." Hayden scoffed still bitter about being dragged from bed so early on a Sunday "You."
"Are you kidding?" Lorelai scoffed jokingly "How often do you get to do things like this? I was thinking, while we're going crazy, we should get some toilet paper and a plunger next."
Hayden nodded, going along with her mother "Maybe even a waste-paper basket."
Rory sent them a look, pointing to her piece of paper "Teasing is not on our list."
"It's always on our list." Hayden retorted in amusement.
Lorelai smiled "Well, what is?"
"We need legal pads—"
"Got it."
"—tons of pens,—"
"Right."
"—Some number two pencils, three highlighters, an eraser a staple remover and a folder."
Lorelai raised an eyebrow "You need three highlighters?"
Rory nodded "Yes."
"Three?"
"Yes."
Lorelai raised an eyebrow "That is a very random number."
"Three is not a random number." Rory argued.
"No, I mean how did you get to the number three?"
"In case one dries up and one gets lost, we each have one left." Hayden rhymed off the lecture Rory had already given her when she asked the same question the night before.
Lorelai chuckled before perking up as she looked to the shelf "Ooh, hey, legal pads."
"No." Rory shook her head "Those are purple."
Lorelai shrugged "Yes, purple is festive."
"We can't have purple." Rory denied.
Hayden frowned "Yes we can. It's pretty."
"And they're on sale." Their mother added.
Rory sighed as she looked between the two "We're going to a serious school now, we need serious paper."
Hayden rolled her eyes "The color of paper doesn't change what grade we're gonna get, only the words on it can do that."
Lorelai nodded, gesturing her youngest "Paper's paper."
"Not at Chilton." Rory denied.
"Alright, fine." Lorelai sighed, throwing the yellow packets into the basket "Here is your serious paper. Ooh and here are you somber highlighters, your maudlin pencils, your manic-depressive pens."
"Mom--"
"Now these erasers are on lithium so they may seem cheerful but we actually caught them trying to shove themselves in the pencil sharpener earlier."
Rory sighed, turning to walk away as Hayden and their mother snickered "I'm going home now."
"No wait!" Lorelai raced after her "We're going to stage an intervention with the neon post-its and make them give up their wacky crazy ways."
Hayden hesitated before grabbing the purple legal pad and scented gel pens before rushing towards the checkout "Wait for me!"
☕️
"DECENT effort by most." Mr Medina addressed the class as he began handing back their latest graded papers "Good effort by some, exceptional effort by two. Miss Geller... Miss Grant. Mr, Graham. Miss Gilmore," Rory's face fell as she received her paper, a bold red 'D' circled at the top right corner "Take these home, learn from your mistakes. Look at the large red circles around various parts of your paper as friendly reminders that to err is human. And that here at Chilton we try to beat that humanity right outta ya!"
Hayden perused over her D- with a sigh before turning her head as she felt a pen dig into her arm "What, Dugray?"
Tristan smiled "I've decided to let you use my notes from the first quarter for the test tomorrow."
"Oh, really?" Hayden narrowed her eyes suspiciously "And what's the catch?"
"No catch." He shrugged innocently "It's just well I need them too, so... we'll just have to study together."
"Have you seen how many notes we have?" She scoffed quietly as Mr. Medina passed the remainder of the papers back "It'll take us hours and then I'll have to get back to Stars Hollow—"
"We have all night." He shrugged, leaning back in his seat "Stay over at my place."
"Right." Hayden scowled "You're not getting into my pants."
"As truly lovely as that sounds, I just want to study. You can even bring your sister." He sighed when she didn't relent "I mean it, I know I won't be able to force myself to study without someone there to make me. Please, come on, my parents will be home."
Hayden hesitated before sighing in defeat "What's your address?"
Tristan smirked as the bell rang "I'll pick you up at 7."
☕️
"CHOCOLATE?"
Lorelai and Sookie looked up from a magazine as Rory and Hayden entered the Inn's kitchen, their bags dropping to the floor in a heap. Sookie smiled sympathetically at the frowning twins "Glass measuring cup."
Lorelai raised an eyebrow as the pair stuffed their faces "Good day, huh?"
"The worst." Rory mumbled through a mouthful "And we have a test tomorrow worth 20% of our grade."
Lorelai nodded "Okay, we can study for that."
Hayden bit her lip "Speaking of, how would you feel about me spending the night at a boys house?"
☕️
"WHAT are the rules?"
"Mom." Hayden groaned as she put together a thermos of coffee in the kitchen whilst Rory studied at the table.
Lorelai folded her arms across her chest "You're sleeping over at a boy's house, a boy I will be meeting first. List 'em, now."
"Fine." Hayden sighed screwing the lid on "Number 1; no removal of clothes. Number 2; no PG-13 touching. Number 3; no George Michael."
Rory frowned as she glanced up from her textbook "Why no George?"
"He makes you feel feelings." Lorelai sighed dreamily before pointing a finger at Hayden "No feelings to be felt."
Hayden raised her hands in defence "Please, the only thing I feel for Tristan Dugray is annoyance... and the sudden urge for physical violence."
"Yeah, violently pin him down so you can reach his lips." Rory snorted.
Hayden shot her a look "Judas."
"No lip touching." Lorelai looked between her children before pausing "Okay, lip touching is expected but I want details."
"Mom." The twins groaned in sync before the bell rang.
"I'll get it!" Lorelai called, rushing out of the room before Hayden could protest.
The youngest Gilmore sighed before turning to Rory "You're sure you don't want to come study with us?"
Rory shook her head "I don't think I'd get much studying done."
Hayden nodded before leaning down to plant a kiss on her sister's cheek "See you in the morning."
"Don't be late." Rory smiled as she watched her sister leave "Make sure you actually study!"
Hayden rolled her eyes with a smile before raising an eyebrow as she found her mother smiling at Tristan "Uh, hey?"
The Dugray boy smirked behind Lorelai's back as the woman turned to her daughter "Babe, have fun, study, but not too hard. I'll tell you all about the parent/teacher conference with Mr. Medina tomorrow."
"Okay." Hayden frowned in confusion as her mother gave her a kiss on the cheek before handing her her bag, practically forcing her out the front door "Uh, bye mom."
"Bye kid," Lorelai waved "nice to meet you Tristan, see you at dinner next week."
"Dinner?" Hayden gawked as she climbed into Tristan's car "What did you say to her?"
Tristan grinned smugly "Just that I was lucky to have someone like you come into my life."
Much to her chagrin, Hayden felt her cheeks flush as she slumped down into the seat, embarrassed "Shut up."
"Aw, is someone blushing?" Tristan cooed with a smirk as he started the car "Mary, you and I are gonna have some fun."
☕️
THE Dugray estate was grand, something Hayden knew her grandparents would approve of (if she was speaking to them of course) but for the Gilmore girl it was how noticeably empty it was that had her raise an accusing eyebrow as Tristan lead her inside and switched on the lights "I thought your parents were home."
The blond shrugged with a smirk "I lied."
Hayden rolled her eyes before watching as he headed towards the straircase "Uh, we're not studying in your bedroom."
"Why?" He paused, turning to face her with a teasing grin "Don't trust yourself?" Hayden simply shot him a look before heading down a hallway. Tristan sighed in amusement "Where are you going?"
"Living room!"
He chuckled and pointed into the opposite direction "Wrong way."
Hayden spun on her heels, avoiding his smirking face as she walked by him "I knew that, I was just... stretching my legs."
☕️
"DOUBT thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love—" Hayden looked up from her notes only to find Tristan staring at her "Pay attention, Dugray. We need to know this stuff."
But he simply looked into her eyes "Love me or hate me, both are in my favour. If you love me, I'll always be in your heart... If you hate me, I'll always be in your mind."
Hayden realised she was staring right back in awe and quickly cleared her throat "So, what's next? We could—" her eyebrows furrowed as she watched Tristan grab her book and move it aside "I kind've need that."
"What you need is a break." He declared before standing up and extending a hand "Too much studying is bad for your brain."
The Gilmore girl eyed his hand suspiciously before giving in and allowing him to help her to her feet "And just what did you have in mind?"
"Let's dance."
"What?" She chuckled as she watched him set up the grand record player before the all too familiar sound of Careless Whisper started flowing into the parlour "Oh no, not George."
He raised an eyebrow at her mumble "What?"
"N-nothing." She swallowed as he approached, gently putting his arms around her waist as her hands lay splayed across his chest. His touch had her stomach stampede with butterflies, goosebumps zipping up and down her skin like a cascade of rain. In all her years of dancing, no simple sway had ever felt so intimate, so exciting. She could feel his thumb brush back and forth against the slither of skin exposed between her baby T-shirt and low rise jeans, an action had her leaning into his touch. It wasn't until she lifted her head and her nose brushed his did she realise their predicament and her mother's rules and quickly pulled away with a clear of her throat "I-I uh, I'm going to change, I can't think straight in jeans." She moved to her bag, face red and rifled through it only for her eyes to widen "Oh no."
"What?"
"I forgot pajamas." She admitted sheepishly.
Tristan chuckled before nodding his head towards the hall "Come on."
Hayden frowned before following after the boy "Where are going?"
"My room." He glanced over his shoulder as they ascended the stairs, wiggling his eyebrows "Please, control yourself, this is strictly business."
Hayden scoffed in amusement as they entered a set of mahogany double doors "No promises."
Tristan grinned as he rifled through his dresser whilst Hayden looked around his room. It was spacious, filled with gizmos and gadgets. The white walls were decorated with lacrosse posters and a few bands that Hayden would never admit she listened to before she looked back as she was handed a Chilton lacrosse jersey and a pair of grey boxers, still in the packet "Uh, thanks."
Tristan nodded, falling onto his bed, arms folded behind his head "Bathroom's through there."
Hayden gave him a little smile before shuffling into the en-suite, closing the door behind her before she fell against it with a sigh. Her heart was racing and her entire body felt on fire. What was Tristan doing to her?
☕️
TRISTAN looked up, his hands pausing from playing with the lacrosse ball as his bathroom door opened and a set of legs stepped out. He found his heart jolt seeing Hayden Gilmore wearing nothing but his shirt and with her hair scraped up into a mess of a bun and not a trace of makeup on her face, he thought she'd never looked more beautiful.
"Hi." She smiled nervously "You know I've never actually been in a boys bedroom before and— I-I don't know why I just told you that."
Tristan set the ball on his nightstand, watching Hayden look around his room with red cheeks "You know, believe it or not, you're the first girl I've ever had in my room."
Hayden suddenly smirked "I believe you."
Tristan couldn't hide his surprise "You do?"
"Oh yeah," she grinned, making her way towards the bed "because if you'd had any previous experience you would've remembered to hide the cabbage patch doll."
Tristan let out a mock gasp, grabbing the tattered doll from the shelf above his head "I would never hide Tate."
"Tate?" Hayden snickered as she took a seat beside the boy.
Tristan nodded "Tate R. Tot the first."
Hayden tried to stop it, but the laugh that spilled by her lips was uncontrollable "I'm sorry," she gasped out seeing his unamused expression "it's not funny."
"It's not." He agreed, holding onto Tate with a slight frown.
"You're right." Hayden snorted "It's hilarious."
"Oh yeah?" Tristan set Tate aside "I'll show you funny."
"Stop!" Hayden gasped out as the boy descended, his tickle attack relentless "Oh my God, stop! I take it back, I take it back!"
"That's what I thought." Tristan smirked before realising just how close their faces were once more, her breathing uneven as it ghosted across his lips.
Hayden swallowed, looking up at the boy as he slowly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before ever so softly, leaning down. Hayden slipped a hand up his chest, halting his movement "No." she muttered softly before reaching up to place a gentle peck on his cheek "Not now."
Tristan didn't complain, allowing the girl to move up, cuddling into his side as they just lay there, content in the silence "I'll wait as long you need, Mary."
☕️
"GOD, everyone is staring."
Tristan looked around the school hallways as the pair walked through them together "So?"
"So?" Hayden gawked "They think we spent the night together!"
"We did." Tristan reminded with a smirk, wrapping an arm around her shoulders only intensifying the whispers.
Hayden groaned as she pulled away from him, entering the classroom "This cannot get any worse." As she came face to face with two grinning girl's and one foul faced leader, she sighed in defeat "I stand corrected."
Madeline and Louise pulled her across the room with matching squeals "Dish on the dish."
Hayden sighed at Louise "Nothing happened. We just studied."
"Biology?" Madeline wiggled her eyebrows.
"Shakespeare." Hayden deadpanned.
"Oh." The girl's frowned, slumping in dissapointment before Louise shrugged "Still, you spent the night with Tristan Dugray, props to you."
As her minions took their seats, Paris looked to the girl "So... nothing really happened?"
"No." Hayden drawled before raising an eyebrow "Why? Would it bother you if something did?"
"No." She scoffed quickly "Don't be idiotic, I was just making sure you weren't going to screw up the curve with your lack of care towards this test by spending a frivolous night with a boy."
Hayden smiled sarcastically "No frivolity with this girl."
"Good." Paris eyed her, not sensing her sarcasm "Where's your sister?" She looked to her watch "She's cutting it close."
Hayden frowned, biting her lip as she looked around "I don't know."
She didn't have any further time to investigate before Mr. Medina was entering the room, a stack of paper's in hand "Alright everyone take your seats."
☕️
HAYDEN was chewing on the end of her number two pencil, working on her test when the classroom doors suddenly burst open and a disheveled Rory rushing in stole everyone's attention "I'm sorry."
"Everyone back to your tests." Mr. Medina ordered but no one complied, each being entertained by the sight of the walking mess that was Rory "Miss. Gilmore you're gonna have to wait in the library."
Rory's head shot around to him "But what about the test?"
His face was sympathetic "I'm afraid you've missed the test."
Her eyes widened in horror "No!"
"We start class promptly at 8:05." He reminded her.
"No." she repeated.
Mr. Medina sighed "That's when I need people to be in their seats."
"Please." She pleaded desperately.
"I'm sorry, but it's the rules."
Rory frowned "But you don't understand! I was up all night studying and then I missed my bus so I had to drive--"
"Let's discuss this outside." He tired to usher the ranting girl towards the door.
"So I'm driving down this road and I stop and I get hit by a deer--"
"You hit a deer?" Hayden frowned in concern.
Rory turned to her "No I got hit by a deer. You don't believe me? I've got antler prints on the side of mom's car!"
Hayden held up her hands in surrender "I believe you."
"Rory, come on." Mr. Medina tried.
"No!" She stepped out of his reach "You have to let me take this test. I'm ready for this test. I know everything there is to know about Shakespeare."
Their teacher raised his hands "Ok, ok, you have to calm down now."
"I know his birthday and his mothers name and what kind of--"
"Loser." Paris whispered to Louise earning a kick on the back of her chair from Hayden.
Rory whirled on the girl, leaning down beside her ear "And just what is wrong with you huh?! You already have everything! You already have the grades and the status. What the hell is wrong with you that you have this constant need to be the biggest jerk in the entire world?!"
Hayden quickly stood "Rory--"
"Sit." Mr. Medina ordered her and she listened before he was turning to her sister "Ok, let's go."
"Huh?!" Rory ignored him as she continued to badger Paris "What's up quippy?! Why so silent?"
"Outside, now." Mr. Medina pointed to the door sternly.
Rory huffed before walking passed a smirking Tristan "And for the last time-- the name's Rory!"
As Mr. Medina followed after Rory's dramatic exit, all eyes turned to Hayden who pursed her lips awkwardly "So... anyone got the answer to question four?"
☕️
HAYDEN made her way home by herself after Rory was picked up early by their mother. Tristan had offered her a ride but to prevent adding fuel to the fire that were high school rumours, she took the safe haven that was the Hartford bus. Schlepping her belongings across the garden, she dashed up the porch steps before making her way inside and sighed tiredly as she dropped her bags at the door before flopping down onto the couch.
Lorelai smiled as she walked in "How'd the test go?"
"Fine." Hayden admitted, before sitting up "Rory?"
"Fine." Her mother assured "She's getting ready, dinner at Luke's sound good?"
Hayden smiled as Lorelai took a seat beside her "Sounds great."
"So," Lorelai began "how was studying?"
She bit her lip trying to control her smile "It was great. And we did study, a lot..." her face turned guilty "But mom, we danced to George Michael and I wore his shirt and then we almost kissed but I said not yet and now I just don't know when the next opportunity will come or if it ever will and—"
"Woah, kid, kid, calm down." Lorelai grabbed her shoulders "So, George, huh?"
"Mom." She whined.
Her mother chuckled, rubbing her back "I told you he makes you feel feelings. So you like really him, huh?"
"Yeah, I think I do." She admitted with a soft smile "I don't know, mom. I mean, he came to my dance. He showed up and I didn't even ask him too. I'm just... scared. What if he's just flirting to get into the new girls pants and then he'll move onto the next?"
"Well, I think you should listen to your gut."
Hayden's eyebrow's raised "Not my heart?"
"No, no, never your heart." Lorelai pulled her closer "It leads you astray, but your gut? It always know the truth."
Hayden nodded in thought "Follow my gut..."
Lorelai smiled at her youngest before moving to check the phone message's. After a click, a male voice floated through the living room "Hi this is a message for Rory. It's Max Medina calling."
Hayden and Lorelai shared a look as Rory rushed in tooth brush in hand.
"I just wanted to say that I talked to Headmaster Charleston or il duce' as he's more affectionately know at the Gilmore household, and he's agreed to let you do some extra credit work to help make up for the missed test today. Now I'm not sure what the extra credit work is yet, but it probably will be time consuming and extremely painful. It will however get you back up to where you rightfully belong Rory, don't lose heart. Make this work. And if you're mother is listening, Lorelai it was a pleasure encountering you. I hope it happens again. Anyways, see you and Hayden in class. Bye."
"It was a pleasure encountering you?" Hayden mocked, shooting her mother a look "You flirted with him, didn't you?"
Lorelai scoffed "No."
"You so did." Rory groaned.
"Well, looks like it payed off, kid." Lorelai shot back "Now, let's go eat."